Game device



J. G. MASON June 29, 1948.

GAME DEVICE Filed Jan. 19, 1946 I INVENTOR James G. Mason Patented June 29, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to game apparatus featuring the skill of the players in manipulating a flexible rope.

The invention will be understood upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of an apparatus in which the invention is embodied, and illustrating how the player manipulates a certain rope element of the apparatus in an effort to make a score; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the apparatus, illustrating the successful manipulation of the rope into a scoring position.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, the apparatus comprises a support or base 2, to which one end of a relatively long flexible rope 3 is anchored. In this case the base 2 is formed of a rectangular wooden plate adapted to rest upon the surface of the ground for outdoor play, or upon the floor of a room for indoor play, and the end of the rope is passed through and knotted in a countersunk hole 4 formed in said rectangular base, adjacent to one end thereof.

The player stands at an interval of ten feet more or less from the device, holding the otherwise free end of the rope in his hand. By moving his arm in a circular swin and snapping his wrist as the swing is terminated, an open loop or wave 5 may be formed in the rope and caused to move therealong in the direction from the hand towards the base 2.

Upon the base 2 devices are provided for receiving or engaging a loop of rope or thong, and such devices may comprise one or more upstanding elements, preferably in the form of a plurality of spaced-apart pins 6, which are secured at their lower ends in dowel-joints in the base 2. Through practice and the development of skill in the manipulation of the rope the player becomes adept at causing the loop formed in and traveling along the rope to pass over the top of a selected pin, and, descending, to close about the body of the pin. In case only a single pin, instead of the preferred line of pins, be provided on the base, the number of times a player in a given number of tries loops the pin will determine his score, and comparison of his score with that of another player making the same number of attempts will decide the winner. The game has proven to be very exciting and interesting in play, since it requires a degree of skill that makes for keen competition.

In the more elaborate form of the apparatus shown herein, the several pins may be given different numerical scoring values, and such values may, of course, :be printed or otherwise applied to the bodies of the pins severally, or to the face of the member 2 at the bases of the pins. The successful player will endeavor to loop the pin of highest scoring value as many times as he can in his sequence of tries.

Alternately, a predetermined sequence of pins to be looped in a given number of tries may be the objective to win a game, and the player who first successfully completes the looping of the specified sequence of pins will be the winner.

The form or shape of the pins may be varied, in order to complicate the task of selectively looping the rope over them. Some of the pins may be taller than others, and some may have enlarged bodies, or may carry enlargements at their upper ends, etc.

In the appended claims the term rope will be understood to embrace light flexible chain, thin rubber tubing, and the like. It will also be understood that the support to which the rope is anchored, and on which the loop-receiving elements or upright pins are mounted, may be formed as two or more base members, one forming the anchorage for the rope, and one or more of the others providing individual supports for the loopreceiving pins. These and other modifications are permissible within the spirit of the invention defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Game apparatus comprising a support, a thong-loop-receiving device on said support, and an elongate, flexible, loop-forming thong anchored at one end to said support and extending therefrom, whereby a player standing at a distance from the support may, by manipulation of the free end of the thong, form therein a loop that moves along the extent of the thong towards said support, and, subject to the skill of the player, may be engaged and temporarily secured upon said device.

2. Game apparatus comprising a support, a plurality of thong-loop-receivin devices extending from said support, and an elongate, flexible, loopforming thong anchored at one end adjacent to said devices and extending therefrom, whereby a player standing at a distance from the support may, by manipulation of the free end of the thong, form therein a loop that moves along the extent of the thong, and, subject to the skill of the player, may be selectively engaged and temporarily secured upon one or another of said devices.

JAMES G. MASON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,850,715 Gottfried Mar. 22, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 851,180 France Jan. 4, 1940 

